1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water-soluble saccharide copolymers, more in particular to certain water-soluble monovinyl saccharide copolymers, and to their preparation and use.
2. Description of the State of the Art
Water-soluble polymers such as polysaccharides are being used in a wide range of applications, such as in water treatment, in enhanced oil recovery, and as additives, e.g., in the paper industry. Such polysaccharides are normally microbiologically prepared using certain polysaccharide producing microorganisms like Xanthomonas Campestris.
It has now been found that very useful water-soluble saccharide polymers can be prepared synthetically, in particular certain vinyl saccharide copolymers carrying cationic groups, derived from a water-soluble monovinyl saccharide monomer and water-soluble cationic monomer. These copolymer are believed to be novel.